Starving families in Kilifi have been warned against eating maize collected from dumps.
Speaking yesterday, Coast medical officer Anderson Kahindi said the maize was contaminated with the deadly aflatoxin mould.
He said: "Aflatoxin kills. I am warning anybody who comes across any food, including maize that has aflatoxin not to consume it, as they will be endangering their lives."
On Wednesday, famine-stricken families carted away portions of the grains, partly-destroyed, from the refuse dump. Last month, four people died and 15 others were admitted to St Luke's Hospital, Kilifi, after eating contaminated fish from the refuse dump.
More than 80 people had died earlier in Eastern Province after eating maize contaminated with aflatoxin.
And yesterday, Dr Kahindi asked health officers in Kwale and Kilifi districts to move fast and confiscate the maize taken from the Mwakirunge refuse dump.
Aflatoxin is a naturally-occurring mycotoxin (a group of fungal toxins) produced by two types of mould: Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. It is mostly found in agricultural products.
Eating contaminated food can cause acute liver damage, liver cirrhosis and tumour. Long-term ingestion of aflatoxin is associated with some types of cancer.
On Wednesday, a Nation team witnessed the destruction of 278 bags of contaminated maize and watched as scores of people descended on the refuse dump and carted away the maize soon after health officials had left the area.
The officials, led by the Kenya Bureau of Standards officers, destroyed the maize by burning and burying it as armed policemen kept vigil.
But when they left, hunger-stricken villagers scrambled to dig up the maize using their bare hands.
The maize had been impounded from Maizena Millers Limited, in June, after it was found to have high levels of moisture.
Kebs officials also found it had high levels of aflatoxin and declared it unfit for human and animal consumption.
Said a health officer: "This is a serious health matter. We are asking those in charge of the Mwakirunge site to ensure it does not endanger lives by allowing people to scavenge there."
